Recent court cases and other developments have highlighted serious problems in plans, popularly know as Benistar, issued by Nova Benefit Plans of Simsbury, Connecticut. Recently unsealed IRS criminal case information now raises concerns with other plans as well. If you have any type plan issued by NOVA Benefit Plans U.S. Benefits Group, Benefit Plan Advisors, Grist Mill trusts, Rex Insurance Service or Benistar, get help at once. You may be subject to an audit or in some cases, criminal prosecution.

In recent years, the IRS has identified many of these arrangements as abusive devices to funnel tax deductible dollars to shareholders and classified thesearrangements as listed transactions." These plans were sold by insurance agents, financial planners, accountants and attorneys seeking large life insurancecommissions. In general, taxpayers who engage in a “listed transaction” must report such transaction to the IRS on Form 8886 every year that they “participate” inthe transaction, and you do not necessarily have to make a contribution or claim a tax deduction to participate. Section 6707A of the Code imposes severe penaltiesfor failure to file Form 8886 with respect to a listed transaction. But you are also in trouble if you file incorrectly. I have received numerous phone calls frombusiness owners who filed and still got fined. Not only do you have to file Form 8886, but it also has to be prepared correctly. I only know of two people in the U.S. who have filed these forms properly for clients. They tell me that was after hundreds of hours of research and over 50 phones calls to various IRS personnel.The filing instructions for Form 8886 presume a timely filling. Most people file late and follow the directions for currently preparing the forms. Then the IRS finesthe business owner. The tax court does not have jurisdiction to abate or lower such penalties imposed by the IRS. Read more here

Breaking News: Don't Become A Material AdvisorAccountants, insurance professionals and others need to be careful that they don’t become what the IRS calls material advisors. If they sell or give advice, or sign tax returns for abusive, listed or similar plans; they risk a minimum $100,000 fine. Their client will then probably sue them after having dealt with the IRS.

In 2010, the IRS raided the offices of Benistar in Simsbury, Conn., and seized the retirement benefit plan administration firm’s files and records. In McGehee Family Clinic, the Tax Court ruled that a clinic and shareholder’s investment in an employee benefit plan marketed under the name “Benistar” was a listed transaction because it was substantially similar to the transaction described in Notice 95-34 (1995-1 C.B. 309). This is at least the second case in which the court has ruled against the Benistar welfare benefit plan, by denominating it a listed transaction.

The McGehee Family Clinic enrolled in the Benistar Plan in May 2001 and claimed deductions for contributions to it in 2002 and 2005. The returns did not include a Form 8886, Reportable Transaction Disclosure Statement, or similar disclosure. The IRS disallowed the latter deduction and adjusted the 2004 return of shareholder Robert Prosser and his wife to include the $50,000 payment to the plan. Click here to read more.

Our tax resolution offices have received calls regarding the following companies or plans: CJA, CJA and Associates

Information You Need to KnowSection 79 and captive insurance plans with life insurance in them are being looked at by the IRS. We have received calls from people that are being audited. - The dangers of being "listed" - A warning for 419, 412i, Sec.79 and captive insurance. Accounting Today: October 25, 2010, By: Lance WallachTaxpayers who previously adopted 419, 412i, captive insurance or Section 79 plans are in big trouble. To Read More:

Offshore International Today Aug 2011

You may want to think about participation in the IRS’ offshore tax amnesty program (called the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative). Do you want to play audit roulette with the IRS? Some clients think they are too small to be prosecuted. They are wrong.To the average businessperson, only the guys with tens of millions secretly stashed in Swiss bank accounts get prosecuted. Don't tell that to Michael Schiavo. He was just prosecuted for hiding money in a Swiss account back in 2003. How much money does the IRS say he hid? A whopping $90,000. That’s it.But wait, there is more to the story. Schiavo attempted to do a quiet disclosure during the 2009 amnesty but instead of filling out the amnesty paperwork, he simply trusted that by coming forward voluntarily he could avoid criminal prosecution. He was wrong on all counts. Nothing is too small for the IRS, and nothing is too old.“So, to save a whopping $40,624 in taxes, this guy risked a felony conviction and prison time, not to mention steep penalties that could very easily eat up the entire $90,000, and also his criminal and civil defense costs.The smart taxpayers are the ones coming forward and not having to look over their shoulders for the next 10 years.Time is running out. The tax amnesty runs through August but it takes at least days to jump through all the hoops. We will also fight hard to reduce the penalties down even more. Remember, the IRS can go as low as 5%. Don’t want this to happen to you? Visit taxadvisorexpert.com today!

Copyright (C) 2014 Lance WallachAll rights reserved

Most people have never heard of a Section 79 Plan, because it is a wealth building tool pitched by insurance agents who really do not understand the math behind the plan.

Following the U.S. Congress’ lead, on April 10 the IRS issued final regulations under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. If the rules seemed unclear before, they are crystal clear now: Most of the so-called “419(e)” plans as well as the remaining 419A(f)(6) plans are in violation of the law and subject to hefty penalties.A 419(e) plan is a benefit plan that generally seeks to make the purchase of life insurance tax-deductible to employers. While the concept is appealing, most of the existing arrangements have permitted the plans to transfer the insurance policies to the participants upon retirement.

Some of the listed transactions CPA tax practitioners are most likely to encounter are employee benefit insurance plans that the IRS has deemed abusive. Many of these plans have been sold by promoters in conjunction with life insurance companies.

As long ago as 1984, with the addition of IRC §§ 419 and 419A, Congress and the IRS took aim at unduly accelerated deductions and other perceived abuses. More recently, with guidance and a ruling issued in fall 2007, the Service declared as abusive certain trust arrangements involving cash-value life insurance and providing post-retirement medical and life insurance benefits.

The new "more likely than not" penalty standard for tax preparers under IRC § 6694 raises the stakes for CPAs whose clients may have maintained or participated in such a plan. Failure to disclose a listed transaction carries particularly severe potential penalties.

Lance Wallach, CLU, ChFC, CIMC, is the author of the AICPA’s The Team Approach to Tax, Financial and Estate Planning. He can be reached at lawallach@aol.com or on the Web at, www.vebaplan.com or 516-938-5007. The information in this article is not intended as accounting, legal, financial or any other type of advice for any specific individual or other entity. You should consult an appropriate professional for such advice.To Read More Click Here